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Tuesday, 14 February 2017

Kapunda's First International Celebrity - Mickey Pynn

In 1870, traveling
circus and sideshows were one of the main forms of entertainment for the
citizens of the world, including those who lived in rural South Australia.

We in South Australia
would often gather together to watch the entertaining magic shows of Mr
Vertelli, or a passing circus, but every so often we would be gifted with the
presence of a international act, such as “General Tom Thumb” (real name: Charles
Sherwood Stratton ) from the USA, who had just come from successful live shows
in England.

General Tom Thumb had
achieved international stardom as a side show act for P.T. Barnum, Circus
Pioneer throughout the US and Europe, and came to Australia to perform,
including Kapunda.

It was his exclusive
trip and side show act in Kapunda that brought Kapunda local lad, Mickey Pynn
to the forefront, and made him Kapunda's first international celebrity.

Mickey Pynn lived with his family just south of Kapunda,
where the hill rises near the Greenock road turn off the House still stands

Mickey Pynn - SLSA: B57230

today)

A family member, or
perhaps a family friend seeing an opportunity to make some money from Mickey's
condition, held an “exhibition” of Mickey in The Miners Arms Hotel, owned by
William Tremaine (My own Great-Great Grandfather).

The exhibition caught
the attention of General Tom thumb who asked to meet young Mickey and was astounded
that he was almost a full two inches shorter than him.

This led to Mickey
being hired by the company that the U.S. Tom thumb had established (a very
lucrative company, that would eventually bail out P.T. Barnum when financial
strife almost collapsed his circus empire). Mickey would soon be travelling the
world as a Circus midget and sometimes side show act under various names
including “The Afghan Dwarf” and “The Australian Tom Thumb”, but this did not
stop him from performing here in South Australia, nor in Kapunda.

In fact, “The Australian Tom Thumb” performed on occasion
with his good friend John Morcom, better known as Magician “Vertelli”

In an early career
show that starred Mickey and Vertelli in The North Kapunda Hotel, it was
written by a newspaper correspondent in the Kapunda Herald and Northern
Intelligencer (March 3rd 1871) the following:

"The diminutive Tom Thumb is a pleasing simple little
fellow, whose greatest feat is to scratch his head like a bear with his toes
his knees being kept straight during this interesting operation. He is said to
be 17 years of age, not deformed, rather of a serious turn of mind, and has a
look of great gravity previous to turning a somersault. If the Signor could
induce a beard and whisker to grow, be would be a decided hit, and might put."the
General" into the shade—being some inches shorter."

It is written
elsewhere that Mickey's life contained many ups and downs over the years, but
it would seem he often struggled with his inner demons, and took to drink, as attested in the following two stories in Sydney newspaper “The Evening News” in
1906, the stories being published only months apart:

Evening News: Sydney: Monday 3
September 1906

DWARF IN COURT.

'What has he been, doing?' asked Mr. Smithers, S.M., at the Central Police Court
this moraine. The magistrate's query had reference to Michael Pynn, 53, described on the sheet as an
acrobatic dwarf. The offence against him was that of being
drunk and disorderly on Saturday evening in George-street. 'He was running after women, and catching
hold of them' said the sergeant, looking severely at the little man in the
dock. 'He has been locked up^ since Saturday.'
''He was here on Saturday morning for being drunk,' said a
policeman.

Solicitor: He should be let off with half the usual fine your Worship”

' The dwarf, who
stood a little over 3ft high, was fined 5s."

Evening News - Sydney Wednesday 31 October 1906

A SMALL OFFENDER.

"The name of Michael Pynn was called at the Central Police Court this morning, and a man
of 57 . years, but of diminutive stature, answered the call. He
was so little that his head did not reach to within 2ft of the
top of the dock rail.

Pynn looked between
the rail at the magistrate, and in a loud tone pleaded guilty to a
charge of being drunk in Castlereagh street.

'He has been coming here frequently, lately, saw police
prosecutor Davis. 'He goes about the street, and 'shapes' up -to men 6ft high,
twice his own height. A short sojourn in gaol would do him good, and keep him
from giving way entirely to drink.'Pynn, it was ascertained, sometimes gives the police trouble, and on
Tuesday it needed the united forces of Constables Lambert and Hardiman to
convey, him to the lock-up. A fine of 20s, or 14 days, was imposed."

In his later years,
Mickey retired to Sydney where he saw out his last days, firstly in Lidcombe in
a men’s home, where it was reported his “appetite is vigorous, though
rheumatism affected his walk”.

Soon he moved to a
different home in Liverpool, one with immaculate gardens, and better conditions
for this once sought after entertainer. Attendants of the Men's Home spoke well
of Mickey saying “He was always ready to do what little he
could about the place, and amuse the other inmates with his
"double jointed" tricks”

Kapunda's first
international celebrity, Mickey “The Australian Tom Thumb” Pynn passed away on
the 22 of June 1929 in Sydney NSW.

All photos remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are displayed here for the purpose of education, research and review under the copyright act "fair usage" clause.

Some photo's used here on this site are sourced from The Sate Library of South Australia, and The National Library of Australia and http://www.gawler.nowandthen.net.au - all photos are out of copyright and have no usage restrictions implied.

All photos remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are displayed here for the purpose of education, research and review under the copyright act "fair usage" clause.

Some photo's used on this website are sourced from The Sate Library of South Australia, and The National Library of Australia and http://www.gawler.nowandthen.net.au - all photos are out of copyright and have no usage restrictions implied.

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PANDORA

On the 7-1-2013, The Haunts of Adelaide was added to The National Library of Australia's "Pandora" archive.http://pandora.nla.gov.au/